Conventionally, interactive communication is used between an operating system and an application or between applications, utilizing a cross-process communication technique. For example, system broadcast is a non-targeted inter-process communication provided by an operating system, such as the Android operating system, in which a broadcast message is sent by the operating system or an application to applications not specifically designated, at a time a specific event occurs. Also for example, the Android operating system can broadcast a message BOOT_COMPLETE at the time a boot process has been completed, and broadcast a message CONNECTIVITY_CHANGE at the time a network is changed.
An application generally has an inactive status, also known as a stop status, after an installation process on a device is complete. When a user starts the application, the status of the application is changed into an active status, also known as a non-stop status. Typically, broadcast messages are only directed to applications in an active status. Neither a normal exit of the application nor a restart of the operating system can change the application from the active status to the inactive status.
Accordingly, once a broadcast message is sent, all applications in the active status may receive the broadcast message, and may also be self-started, which increases power consumption of the device and a risk of leakage of user information resulting from certain applications being self-restarted.